Longitudinal Patterns of Food Insecurity, the Home Food Environment, and Parent Feeding Practices During COVID-19

Background: The economic impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have drastically increased food insecurity in the United States. Initial data, collected a few months into the pandemic, showed that families, particularly those experiencing food insecurity, reported detrimental changes to their home food environment and parent feeding practices, compared to before COVID-19.

Objective: This follow-up study obtained longitudinal data from a sample of parents in the United States to quantify changes in food security status, the home food environment, and parent feeding practices, from before to across COVID-19 as the pandemic continued to persist.

Methods: Parents ( = 433) completed online surveys May (1) and September (2) 2020 during COVID-19. Food security, home food environment, and parent feeding practices were reported at each timepoint. At 1, parents also retrospectively reported on these factors pertaining to before COVID-19. Chi square analyses and repeated measure mixed models examined associations among study variables.

Results: Low or very low food security increased from before COVID-19 (37%) to 1 (54%) and decreased by 2 (45%). About 30% of families who became food insecure, and 44% who stayed food insecure from 1 to 2, reported a decrease in total food in their home; only 3%-6% who became/stayed food secure reported this decrease. Parents' concern for child overweight and use of monitoring increased from before COVID-19 to 1, and decreased by 2, but remained elevated above pre-COVID-19 values.

Conclusion: Rates of food insecurity remain high as this pandemic persists. Continued assessment of nutrition-related factors and increased economic supports are critical for families to endure COVID-19 and prevent long-term obesity and health risks.